Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday demanded the government stand firm against any possibility of corruption and ensure maximum level of transparency and accountability in the Padma Bridge project.

A Dhaka court on Sunday placed the executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department on a five-day remand in connection with corruption in Padma bridge project.

Those counties which were liberated from colonial rule through struggle at the cost of millions of lives or those countries where people rose against oppressive and corrupt regimes are expected to be reasonably free from corruption and the people of those countries generally endeavour to establish the lofty ideals for which they fought. Perhaps, the framers of our constitution apprehended something different, otherwise why should our constitution adopt a unique provision as one of the Fundamental Principles of State Policy, at Article 20(2), which states “The State shall endeavour to create conditions in which, as a general principle, persons shall not be able to enjoy unearned incomes…”

Malaysia is waiting for a response from the government of Bangladesh over a $ 2.3 billion loan proposal to build the Padma bridge, says a Malaysian prime minister’s special envoy.

The executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department was sent to jail Wednesday afternoon after his surrender before a Dhaka court in connection with corruption in Padma bridge project.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said the government will construct the Padma bridge with its own resources and form a steering committee for the project's implementation. Hours before leaving for Washington to meet the World Bank president, Muhith told journalists at his residence that a foreign currency account with $1.8 billion will be opened to pay the international bidders.

I have written and spoken a lot on the issue of the Padma bridge and my biases are well known. I continue to believe that the design, financing and implementation plan agreed by the government of Bangladesh with the international consortium of donors led by the World Bank is the first best option.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday told parliament that the government would build the Padma bridge with domestic funds keeping the present design intact.

The Panel has reviewed the FIR in accordance with the mandate received from the World Bank and agreed with the Government of Bangladesh to assess the investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh (ACC) into allegations of corruption in the Padma Bridge Project and to advise the World Bank on the completeness, correctness, transparency, adequacy and fairness of the investigation.

Though the World Bank has finally agreed to revive its $1.2 billion funding for the much-hyped Padma bridge project, economists say the Padma episode has weakened Bangladesh's position and the accountability issue will apparently become more important for any foreign-aided project in the future. They, however, say it needs to be ensured so that this mega project does not face further delay due to investigation into the so-called graft.

I am not a journalist, let alone an investigative one. Yet, a number of factors prompted me to write this piece. Firstly, the issue is an important one related to economic growth and international image of the country whose pride and prosperity is so dear to my heart.

A Romanian folklore has it that a master builder once decided to sacrifice the first woman who would bring food to the building site. All but one of his men broke their promise and tipped their wives in advance.

The World Bank has cancelled the loan for the construction work of Padma bridge on allegation of corruption in Bangladesh. The party in power led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina refuses to accept such an allegation, saying it is baseless and unfounded. Recently, China has built the world's longest bridge on sea spanning over 26 miles at a cost of 1.6 billion dollars.

Why does our government have to beg for the construction of Padma Bridge? Padma Bridge when constructed will be a prestigious project and world heritage.

The unfortunate decision of the World Bank to cancel the loan for Padma Bridge has saddened all of us. But as a nation we must put the past behind us and learn from it; we need to focus on the present and live it while looking ahead to the future and prepare ourselves accordingly.

On June 29, the World Bank cancelled its $1.2 billion credit in support of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, saying that it had found evidence of high-level corruption among government public officials and others

Criticising the World Bank's cancellation of the Padma bridge loan over corruption allegations, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government would not take any blame for something it had not done. “I am confident that we did nothing wrong. We will not accept any calumny.

The government will build the Padma bridge with its own funds and construction work will begin in the current fiscal year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced in parliament yesterday.

It is a sad state of affairs when an entire nation has to suffer for the actions of just a few. The World Bank has claimed to have found credible evidence of a high-level corruption conspiracy among selected government officials involved in the Padma Bridge project.

We have been discussing issues surrounding the construction of Padma Bridge over the last four years. In fact, the demand for the construction of Padma Bridge grew stronger in 1990s when it became evident that construction of Jamuna Bridge was possible.